Debts
by Trinaluv33
Summary: 'The Master shook his head in amusement and slung the weakened Doctor's arm over his shoulders, taking most of the injured Time Lord's weight. 'Seems you are in my debt now, Doctor. You owe me your life.'" The Doctor is forced to rely on the Master after being kidnapped by a disenfranchised scientist, who enjoys studying alien species. Her latest hobby is that of the Time Lords.
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. :(**  
_

_Debts_

_By Trinaluv33  
_

_~Prologue~  
_

The Master shook his head in amusement and slung the weakened Doctor's arm over his shoulders, taking most of the injured Time Lord's weight as the two enemies made their way down the white-washed hallway. Barely conscious, the Doctor, sickly pale and sheened with sweat, clung desperately to his only life-line to the real world. If that life-line just so happened to be his mortal enemy, he didn't have the energy to care.

The Master studied his greatest enemy and oldest friend and noted that the man was quickly losing strength and was on the brink of unconsciousness. The Doctor's head rested weakly on the Master's shoulder, his blond hair brushing his neck. The evil Time Lord didn't know whether he should be amused, disgusted, or concerned.

Amused because of how fast the tables had turned, the Doctor now completely in his mercy. The Master could just as easily drop him in one of the hallways and leave via his TARDIS. Yet, for some reason which still puzzled the Master, he risked his own life to rescue the Doctor, when he had a perfect chance to escape. But here he was, dragging a semi-conscious Doctor in a cricket suit, a piece of celery sticking out of the breast pocket. The Master could almost laugh out loud.

However, a close second emotion to choose could be disgusted, because of the close proximity of his oldest enemy, and of the image the two Time Lords were projecting to any third party who might be observing them, an image of true companionship. The Master wouldn't be caught dead as a companion of the Doctor. It amazed him that no matter how many companions would leave the Doctor, he would soon acquire another, this one as trivial as the previous. The good radiated off of the Doctor whenever they met, and it sickened him. The Master could almost smell it even then. The Doctor's kindness only served to further aggravate the drumming in his head. _Onetwothreefour onetwothreefour onetwothreefour._

And concerned... The Master nearly wanted to just ignore the last option and instead choose to kick the Doctor while he's down, but he couldn't avoid the annoying emotion that hid in the farthest region of his mind. He had spent such a long time knowing only pure hatred for the benevolent being known as the Doctor; the days they shared in the Academy seemed too far in the past to even have existed. Yet, those days did exist, and the Master would have to admit that they were unarguably the best days of his life. The thought that this pointless war with the Doctor could end in a blink of an eye sent an unfamiliar pain through the Master's blackened hearts. What would he be without the Doctor existing to challenge his wonderful evilness? His evil-filled life would be easy, and easy is boring. Looking down at the trembling Time Lord only served to further infuriate the Master. Who does the Doctor think he is, going around and risking his life- virtually serving his own head on a silver platter- without the slightest consideration towards the jeopardization of their long-fought feud? _You're not getting out of it that easily, old friend. _

The Master chose to express the first option, and sneered down at the Doctor. "Look at you now, Doctor. Seems that you're in _my _debt now." He chuckled at the thought. "You owe me your life, Doctor."

The Doctor failed to respond to the Master's signature laugh as he passed into an anything-but-blissful unconsciousness.

_**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little prologue. I was looking for some good hurt/comfort stories about the Fifth Doctor and the Master, but failed to find any, which nearly broke my heart. But then I got over it and chose to just write one instead. This story idea has been stuck in my head since I started watching the Fifth Doctor's episodes, and I'm finally writing it. **_

_**Please review!  
**_

**_Luv Trinaluv:)_  
**


	2. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Thank you to Isa-Just-Me for favoriting and following this story, to Jill for reviewing(yay for being the first reviewer! Cybersmoothies galore!), and to Theta Sigma for also reviewing(just so you know, I freaked when I saw your guest name. Love it!) **  
_

_**Jill: Thanks so much for reviewing! I hope you won't be disappointed that this won't be slash, because I'm not really the slash-writer type. It will be mainly strong friendship(well, as strong a friendship that two mortal enemies can have...). However, the human brain is an amazing thing. I'm sure it will be quite easy for you to pretend the slash is implied, if that is what you want to do. I just want you to know that slash is not my intentions.  
**_

_**Theta Sigma: Funny story, I was thinking about the Doctor's nickname today during my FST class, which is why I actually screamed out loud when I saw your review. (My cats gave me a weird look and then ran away.) I know what you mean about wanting a story like this. Whenever I want to read something specific about two specific characters, I can never find anything similar to what I'm looking for. Usually I'm to lazy to write it myself. Thanks for reviewing!  
**_

_**Enjoy Chapter 1!  
**_

_Debts_

_By Trinaluv33  
_

_~Chapter 1~  
_

Doctor Lydia Crawford walked aimlessly through the corridors, flipping through a light blue folder. This folder contained her life's work, which was discovering and testing alien organisms. Her latest discovery was sure to boost her career. UNIT would have no other choice but to finally accept her brilliance._**  
**_

Her break through resided in a small, dark holding cell. It was humanoid in appearance and seemed no older than thirty years old. It had dark brown hair and a charming little goatee. It appeared extremely violent. Lydia also noted that he seemed slightly narcissistic. The subject preferred to be known as "The Master." Lydia suspected that his race was a very primitive one, one which depended on a hierarchy to function. She was sure that there must be an incredible amount of class warfare on its planet.

It had been a week since Dr. Crawford and her associates captured the subject, a week which was mainly devoted to observation and simple diagnostic readings. So far Dr. Crawford had discovered a bizarre double heart reading, along with a dangerously high average body temperature. Soon they would begin Stage Two. Lydia was beaming with anticipation. The prospect of being able to more thoroughly study this amazing creature filled her with barely-contained glee.

Her platform heels made distinct melodious taps as she neared the subject's cell. Inside, sitting on the dust-ridden floor, was a tall, slim man in a wrinkled but elegant black suit. He held eye contact with Lydia as she peered through the metal bars containing the strange alien. She could have sworn he was smirking at her.

Lydia straightened out her pink blouse, clutching her folder tightly to her chest. "Today is the day we make history."

* * *

The Master studied the human, and he wasn't impressed. This woman was out of her mind if she thought that she was better than him. He would have destroyed her already if he still had his compressor. Alas, he was trapped in a dingy cell, chained to a dank wall with rusty, simplistic chains, and stranded under an imbecile's control without even his compressor to aid him. _How humiliating. _

The Master watched silently as she searched for the key to his cell in her giant key ring. He assumed that their were nearly twenty other cells containing other, lesser alien species, possibly decaying where they lay. Convinced that Dr. Crawford was insane, the Master chose to ignore her and not play along with her foolish games. So far her harebrained tests have been mainly observational, but he had overheard her enthusing about the "Stage Two" that was soon to come. He silently observed the woman who may very well be the death of his current regeneration. She had cropped reddish-brown hair and wild green eyes. She was of average height; the Master couldn't find anything special about the ordinary human besides, perhaps, her apparent madness and the glint of insanity shining in her eyes.

As she swung open the cell door, the walkie-talkie strapped to her waist sprung to life, beeping sharply. With a look of clear irritation, she paused in her task, door halfway open, and unclipped the walkie-talkie, speaking sharply.

"What could you possibly want?"

_There's an object here, ma'am. A box... A big, blue box._

The Master bit his lip. It couldn't be...

"A box? And why would I care about a stupid box?" Lydia snipped, hands on hips in an arrogant manner.

_Because, ma'am, it just appeared, out of thin air... And there was a man-_

Lydia's eyes lit up like a young child's on Christmas morning. "A man? What kind of man can appear out of thin air?!" A large grin nearly broke her face in two. "Bring him to me this instant!"

Sounds of a struggle echoed through the walkie-talkie. The Master tried to keep his features neutral. The Doctor seemed to have impeccable timing, as always.

_He ran, ma'am. We are pursuing. What actions would you prefer we take? _

"Anything!" she nearly shrieked. "Just bring him to me!"

The Master rolled his eyes. _Mad, indeed. _

Moments passed in utter silence; Lydia seemed to be frozen where she stood. Finally, a tinny voice made its way to the four eager ears waiting in anticipation.

_We have him apprehended. Shall we bring him to a new cell?_

"No. Bring him straight to me. Cell 13A," she ordered, staring into space and licking her lips in anticipation. She slowly turned her wild gaze to rest on the Master. "Stage Two for you will have to wait."

* * *

The old door creaked open, allowing two muscular guards to enter, dragging a limp body between them. Lydia directed them to a pair of rustic chains opposite of the Master. She appraised her newest subject with fascination. He was humanoid like the Master and wore a tan jacket and striped pants. There was an odd emblem on the shirt collar that resembled a question mark. His fair blond hair sharply contrasted the blossoming purple bruise on his right temple. Tentatively she grabbed his wrist, feeling for a pulse. _Onetwothreefour onetwothreefour onetwothreefour..._

Lithe as a panther, Lydia spun around and addressed the Master. "Do you know this being?"

The Master smiled mischievously. "Never seen him before in my life."

She nodded absently, too busy daydreaming of all the things she could learn from this intriguing species she had discovered. "Interesting..." She knelt beside the unconscious man. "He seems to be from the same species as you." Her eyes were drawn to the dark bruise on his forehead.

Aware of her scrutiny, the shorter guard allayed her fears. "He will be fine. We were forced to tranquilize him when he refused to stop running, and he hit his head on the ground as he fell."

Dr. Crawford nodded, and looked between the two Time Lords. She let her gaze fall on the Master. "Looks like you won't have to go through Stage Two yet after all!" Pointing harshly at the Doctor 's unconscious form, the mad scientist addressed her guards. "Take him to the med-room and prep him for Stage Two at once."

The Master stayed silent as the guards dragged the Doctor from the room. For a moment, the Doctor's blue eyes cracked open, capturing the Master's gaze and staring into his very soul. They shared a short moment; the Master could feel the Doctor's telepathic wavelengths humming through every fiber of his being and calling out to him.

_Help me..._

The Master chose not to respond. The Doctor's eyes slipped shut once more as he disappeared from sight. The Master sighed and once again ignored the insane woman as she locked his cell and followed after her newest obsession.

_I am sorry, Doctor._

___**A/N: Thanks for reading!**_

_**Cyber-hedgehogs for all who review!  
**_

_**Luv Trinaluv  
**_


	3. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Thanks to GoddessAmanda1984(I love 10 and 11 too, but I agree that it's fun to read some Classic Who every now and then. Thanks for reviewing!), to mysterious Guest, who either didn't feel like leaving a name or was just really, REALLY clever(Thanks so much! I know, I sometimes try to read other stories with the Master but they usually involve him behaving like he never would. Naw, me? Cliffhangers? Never! :D), and to Exact Estimate(Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy my stories!) for reviewing! And thanks to Exact Estimate for also following and favoriting! **_

_**On with the show!  
**_

_****Debts_

_By Trinaluv33  
_

_~Chapter 2~  
_

The darkness swirled around him, trapping him in a cocoon of madness and despair. He was aware of a dull pain, but it was too far away for him to worry about. The Doctor struggled to break through the fog in his mind. It felt as if he was drowning in the sea of his own subconscious. He sputtered and fought against the pull of his inner darkness, but it felt as if he was failing. He couldn't break free.

_Doctor._

The Doctor furrowed his brow in confusion, a faint light breaking through the haze. He began to hear distant sounds and sharp voices. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was landing the TARDIS and then... nothing. Had something gone wrong with the primary stabilizers again?

_Doctor._

He tried to respond, but found he was unable to speak. Something barred his speech, whether it be a mental or physical cumbrance, he wasn't sure. The pain was becoming more evident as the light in the distance grew brighter. His limbs suddenly grew heavy and stiff. The noises were clearer now, and he could hear a steady beeping.

_Doctor! _

Gasping, his eyes shot open, and he began to struggle against his binds. There was a rope-like gag in his mouth that tied under the head of the bed he was strapped to. The blurry image of a woman appeared in front of him, startling him and causing his hearts to race. She smiled at him in a sickly sweet way, causing his stomach to do little nervous flips. He tried again to pull away, but to no avail.

"Ready to begin?" The Doctor shook his head. He may not be sure of what was going to happen, but he had a feeling whatever this woman had planned would not be fun. "Good. Let's get started, then."

The woman disappeared from view, and for a moment the Doctor thought he was left alone, his only view being the grey ceiling tiles above his head. He silently tested the strength of his binds and was dismayed to find them secure. However, maybe with enough pulling he could weaken the bonds until they snapped. Or, he could try to get this woman to free him. She seemed the sensible type beyond the glint of fascination in her green eyes. That or maybe the guards would help him.

A slight vibrating noise distracted the Doctor from his plans of escape. Before he could ponder what the strange noise could be, an electrifying shock surged through him, his body arching against his bonds and nearly snapping from his force. It felt as if his lungs were being crushed by a metal compressor and forced to stay that way, making it nearly impossible for him to take a breath. His muscles burned as he was caught in an unending seizure; the electricity flowed through him and wrapped its fiery tendrils around his hearts.

The Doctor wanted to scream, needed a way to release all the pent-up agony that was trapped inside his mind. His hearts beat out a sporadic rhythm, and he felt incredibly light-headed and nauseous from the lack of oxygen. A burning sensation erupted in his chest, and his eyes grew red with exhaustion and uncontrolled pain. He could vaguely hear the woman taking notes, something about "endurance" and "stamina levels."

It felt like he was in the last leg of a race, and his horse was about to give out- and then his horse gave out. A scream wrenched its way through his throat and broke through the mental barriers of his agony. His heart labored painfully to do the job meant for two, his breaths finally coming in short gasps as the vibrations ceased. He collapsed back into the bed, sweat pouring off of him from exhaustion. His face flushed as his vision swam hazily in front of him, and his eyes rolled back into his head to the sounds of insane approval and "total success."

* * *

_Doctor..._

The Doctor swirled on the edge of consciousness, close enough to feel its unwelcome presence but too far away to grasp it. As the Time Lord grew more aware of reality, he also became aware of an intense pain that resided in every fiber of his being. He wished desperately to return to the blissful state of unconsciousness, but something continued to drag him towards the light.

_Doctor._

He blinked his eyes wearily, an unbearable headache nearly blinding him. His muscles felt like lead, weighing him down as he sank deeper into the watery pit of despair. His throat burned, and he tried to swallow through the pain. As his vision cleared, he became more aware of his surroundings. He appeared to be in a small holding cell. His arms hung weakly from where they were bound above his head by rusty chains that bit into his wrists. A face came into focus a few feet away from the Doctor, chained in a similar manner.

Shaking his head slightly to try and clear the cobwebs fogging his mind, the Doctor appraised the Master. "A-are you o-" His voice broke and he coughed to clear his raw throat. It took a lot of energy just to talk, and when he did he could barely be heard. However, he knew the Master would be able to understand him. "-Okay? Are you okay?"

The Master stopped himself from rolling his eyes. _Only the Doctor..._ "Yes, I am fine." He silently observed the Doctor, the way he hung limply from the chains, the way he rested his head against the wall, and the way he took fast, shallow breaths. His forehead was creased in pain, and his arms were trembling, causing his chains to rattle in return. "I don't need to ask how you are, I see."

The Doctor laughed softly and shook his head. He winced as a tug of pain embraced his torso and traveled through his body. He could feel the strained beating of his heart. He wasn't completely sure how much longer he could manage with only one heart.

The Master stared at the Doctor in concern- no, that definitely wasn't it. He wasn't concerned about the Doctor, he was annoyed. Annoyed by his unending kindness towards others, by his weakness. He was growing soft in his old age, too easy to defeat. The Master _hated _easy.

Concentrating, the Master probed the Doctor's health telepathically. The injured Time Lord must be at his last breaking point if his defenses weren't upheld. The Doctor's muscles seemed strained to the max, and his throat was raw. However, that wasn't what alarmed the Master. It was the fact that only his left heart was beating.

With a viscous expression, the Master turned his gaze to land on the guard posted outside their cell. "Hey, ignoramus. Maybe you should tell the good doctor that she'll lose one of her precious subjects if she doesn't take precautions. Perhaps she needs to be reminded that we have don't survive on one heart alone."

The Master succumbed to rolling his eyes as the guard fumbled nervously for his walkie-talkie and spoke quickly, and quite unintelligibly in his opinion, to Dr. Crawford. He could vaguely hear the mad woman's angry shrieks as she ordered the guards to do something about it. The Master noted that the Doctor hadn't made note of any of this, as his eyes were pinched tightly closed as he concentrating on breathing through the pain, which was getting more difficult by the second as his remaining heart threatened to give out, too.

The aforementioned guard rushed in with what looked like a home-made defibrillator and pulled up the Doctor's tan shirt, connecting the leads in the proper spots.

The Doctor opened his eyes when he felt the cold metal being applied to his skin. The Master was surprised when he glared bitterly at the human. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

The guard chose to ignore him as he started up the defibrillator. Without warning, he flipped the switch, sending a shock through the Doctor and effectively, but painfully, jump-starting his right heart. Without a word, the guard packed up the defibrillator, pulled down the Doctor's shirt, and left, returning to his stoic position outside the cell.

The Doctor let his head hang in exhaustion. It was nice to finally have both his hearts working again, but the extra shock had depleted any energy he might have had left. The Master smirked at him. "Looks like you're a little worse for wear."

The Doctor chuckled. "Just a bit." He raised his head to make eye contact with the Master, thanking him without words because he was knew full well if he mentioned it, the Master would deny the fact that he might have saved his mortal enemies life- at least temporarily. The Doctor's head fell to rest against his upheld arm. He was just so tired... It was getting more and more difficult to keep his eyes open. His body fought him as he tried to resist the pull of unconsciousness, but he knew it was a losing battle.

_Sleep, Doctor. The end is near._

The Doctor's eyes slipped shut, a welcoming presence in his subconscious calming him towards an almost-restful sleep.

_**A/N: Hey, kind of ended on a happy note this time, didn't I? Not including the Doctor being tortured and all that jazz, but nonetheless, sort of a happy ending. Anyway, hope you enjoyed Chapter 2! Please don't by shy; drop a review into the box on the way out!**_

_**Luv Trinaluv  
**_


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